Thank you for your interest in doing PhD research at the Graduate School of Social and Behavioural Sciences of Leiden University. How to start your PhD at our Graduate School is explained on this page.

Check the application deadlines for the MSc Democracy and Representation at Leiden University: important dates for applicants from the EU/EEA and non-EU regions, including housing application timelines.

LIAS has a School of Asian Studies (SAS), a School of Middle-Eastern Studies (SMES) and a School of Religious Studies (LUCSoR). These designations, and the fields within them, remain foundational to our work. At the same time, the academic community benefits from the presence of cross-regional networks…

Note the application deadlines for MSc International Politics at Leiden University: 1 April for visa-required applicants and 15 May for EU/EER applicants, with separate housing deadlines.

Check the application deadlines for the MSc Political Theory: Legitimacy and Justice at Leiden University — visa / residence permit and non‑visa deadlines for September and February intakes.

Leiden Early Drug Discovery & Development (LED3) is a multidisciplinary research network at Leiden University dedicated to advancing innovative approaches in early drug discovery and development. The initiative brings together 58 principal investigators from four institutes—the Institute of Biology…

Note: The Politics of Artificial Intelligence (MSc) application deadlines at Leiden University are 1 April for students requiring a visa, and 15 May for others.

These are two separate Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility projects with Monash University in Australia, one of the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), the other of Leiden University’s Faculty of Law (LLS).

Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) is an internationally oriented institute for research and education in biology. We are part of the Faculty of Science at Leiden University.

A yearly funding scheme available for upscaling educational innovations.

Conference

Social resilience and security has never been more important. Over the last 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a considerable disturbance to our personal and social lives. As a result, the general population reports more stress, loneliness and decreased quality of life. At the same time, there…

On 28 November 2025, Leiden University and PLNT Leiden hosted “The Knowledge Orchard” - an event aimed at starting up/ enhancing interdisciplinary cooperation between academics at Leiden University, and improving collaboration between Leiden researchers and external partners in research and educatio…

The Viral Vector Facility produces batches of lentivirus and adenovirus for preclinical research within the LUMC. And it assists researchers to produce their own virus.

Find out more about our national and international research collaborations.

In this thesis, dynamic testing principles were applied to examine young children's potential for learning. Our studies focused on the role of cognitive flexibility, to further increase our understanding of the cognitive processes involved in children's ability to learn from instruction and feedback,…

This team ensures that all Una Europa activities at Leiden University and LUMC run smoothly, and provides support to colleagues directly involved in Una Europa initiatives.

Bachelor, Master, PhD, Staff

PhD defence

PhD defence

PhD defence

Exchanges between different cultures and institutions of learning have taken place for centuries, but it was only in the twentieth century that such efforts evolved into formal programs that received focused attention from nation-states, empires and international organizations.

This is an Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project of Leiden University’s Faculty of Science with the University of Pretoria.

PhD defence

PhD defence

Leiden and The Hague are home to many museums with large numbers of artefacts and archives. Leiden University also and the Leiden University Library also house special collections. Museums, Collections & Society stimulates research and education and raises ethical questions regarding the collections’…

Generally, PhD candidates are recruited for specific research projects by public advertisement. In addition, unsolicited applications from high potential candidates with an appropriate master degree are welcomed.

Subproject of

Do citizens care for interest representation? A study on citizens’ perceptions and feelings towards the representative potential of civil society

The distinction of outstanding and rewarded scientific and educational achievements is an important component of the promotion of our work at the LACDR.

Before embarking on your studies at Leiden University, it is important to thoroughly research the financial aspects of your stay. Look into the cost of living and studying in the Netherlands, and find out about all the available sources of financial aid.

Onderzoek van de onderzoeksgroep 'War, Peace and Justice'

Having received a European Research Centre grant in 2025 the Connected Communities in Early Medieval Europe (COCO) project kicked off with a three-day long programme last month. From the 28th to the 30th of April the National Museum of Antiquities and the Faculty of Archaeology hosted the meetings bringing…

Research conducted in this group aims at furthering our understanding of how communities and individuals deal with social change, conflict and trauma through remembrance and commemoration as well as forgetting in the arts.

Many of the challenges of our time are too complex to be resolved within the confines of a single discipline. Leiden University is a broad-based university where an incredible number of research fields converge. That makes us the ideal breeding ground for, and practitioners of, interdisciplinary research…

This is an Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project of Leiden Law School with three universities in Kenya.

‘Going Beyond Gender’ reveals how diverse women's experiences and backgrounds can be and how this diversity can affect their opportunities and career in academia. The entire film was recorded in and around the Kamerlingh Onnes Building as well as the Academy Building. The five women featured in the…

Data Science

The second and final volume of this co-authored study has just been published by J.B. Metzler. This second monograph explores the history of the concept of barbarism in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

This interdisciplinary project applies data science techniques to qualitatively and quantitatively visualize the interaction between the University and the city of Leiden (Town&Gown) from 1575 onwards. One of the possible angles for follow-up research is diversity, especially from the international…

Now that you are aware of the admission requirements, it's time to check the application deadlines.

PLEASE NOTE: The specialisation High-Tech Innovation starts in September 2026.

Now that you are aware of the admission requirements, it's time to check the application deadlines.